Las Vegas, NV – April 30, 2019. Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has exploded in frustration, labeling his newly traded wide receiver a “locker room chaos starter” just weeks after a high-stakes deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, sources told ESPN Thursday. The fiery rebuke targets a player acquired to spark the offense but now blamed for team discord.
The Raiders, seeking a star to anchor their passing game, sent a 2019 third-round pick (No. 66) and a fifth-round pick (No. 141) to Pittsburgh for the seven-time Pro Bowler. Expected to elevate Derek Carr’s attack, the receiver’s arrival instead unleashed turmoil, with reports of skipped practices and clashes with teammates, per NFL Network.
He’s wrecking our team’s chemistry, Gruden told 95.7 The Game.
That receiver is Antonio Brown, whose 11,746 yards and 83 touchdowns with Pittsburgh from 2010-2018 were marred by drama—sideline outbursts, a public feud with Ben Roethlisberger, and a $215,000 fine for conduct. Raiders players are reportedly fed up with his diva antics, mirroring Steeler Nation’s relief at his exit.
Brown’s a distraction, not a leader, a teammate said anonymously.
Gruden, incensed by the trade’s fallout, fired off a scathing five-word message to Steelers GM Kevin Colbert: “You pawned off a total mess.” The coach accused Colbert of concealing Brown’s volatility, claiming the deal was a ploy to dump a problem while Pittsburgh pocketed draft picks.
Colbert played us like fools, Gruden fumed to reporters.
Steeler fans, who cheered Brown’s departure on Reddit and X, gloated over Oakland’s regret, with posts hailing Colbert’s savvy move. Pittsburgh’s offense, now led by JuJu Smith-Schuster, thrives without Brown, while the Raiders’ locker room frays, jeopardling Super Bowl dreams in the AFC North.
AB’s their nightmare now, a fan posted on X.
As Oakland reels from its gamble, Gruden’s rant highlights the peril of trading for talent with baggage. With Carr under pressure and Brown’s drama escalating, the Raiders’ misstep could derail their 2019 season, leaving Colbert’s Steelers grinning in Pittsburgh.
